S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE O F E THICS A ND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE Software Engineering Ethics and Professional Practices © 1999 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. and the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. Dr. Hassan Abdalla Room: 2236

2 W HAT IS SEEPP? Stands for Software Engineering Ethics and Professional Practices Goal: Establish a code of conduct for professional software engineers to make software engineering a beneficial and respected profession. Joint Effort by IEEE-Computer Society and Association of Computing Machinery(ACM)

3 W HO ARE THE E NGINEERS ? Software engineers are those who contribute either by direct participation or by teaching, analyzing, Specification generating, designing, developing, certifying, Maintaining and testing of software systems

4 R OLES OF E NGINEERS “ Professional Software Engineers ” include Practitioners Educators Managers Supervisors and Policy makers Trainees and Students of the Profession

5 W HAT IS S OFTWARE ? Computers have a central and growing role in commerce, industry, government, medicine, education, entertainment and society at large Software Engineers develop software to automate/ facilitate other areas of society Thus Role of software in medicine, education, government, industry, commerce etc is “ Key ”

6 S OFTWARE E NGINEERS IN FOCUS Because of their roles in developing software systems, software engineers have significant opportunities to Do good or cause harm Enable others to do good or cause harm Influence others to do good or cause harm

7 N EED FOR C ODE OF E THICS To ensure, as much as possible, that software engineers efforts will be used for good Software engineers must commit themselves to making software engineering a beneficial and respected profession In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere a Code of Ethics and Professional Practice

8 S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE The Code contains eight Principles related to the behavior of and decisions made by professional software engineers 1. PUBLIC PUBLIC 2. CLIENT AND EMPLOYER CLIENT AND EMPLOYER 3. PRODUCT PRODUCT 4. JUDGMENT JUDGMENT 5. MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT 6. PROFESSION PROFESSION 7. COLLEAGUES COLLEAGUES 8. SELF SELF

9 S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE (C ONTD.) 1 PUBLIC Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest Accept full responsibility for their own work. Moderate the interests of the software engineer, the employer, the client and the users with the public good Approve software only if they believe that it is safe, meets specifications, passes appropriate tests Be fair and avoid deception in all statements, particularly public ones Consider issues of physical disabilities and allocation of resources Be encouraged to volunteer professional skills to good causes

10 S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE (C ONTD.) 2 CLIENT AND EMPLOYER Software engineers shall act in a manner that is in the best interests of their client and employer, consistent with the public interest Provide service in their areas of competence Not knowingly use software that is obtained or retained either illegally or unethically. Use the property of a client or employer only in ways properly authorized Identify, document, collect evidence and report to the client or the employer promptly if, a project is likely to fail or to violate intellectual property law

11 S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE (C ONTD.) 3 PRODUCT Software engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible Strive for high quality and acceptable cost Ensure proper and achievable goals and objectives for any project Ensure that they are qualified for any project they work on Ensure that an appropriate method is used for any project Work to follow professional standards Strive to fully understand the specifications for software Ensure adequate testing, debugging, documentation and review of software Treat all forms of software maintenance with the same professionalism as new development.

S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE (C ONTD.) 4 JUDGMENT Software engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values. Only endorse documents if prepared under supervision Maintain professional objectivity with respect to any software Not engage in deceptive financial practices such as bribery, double billing, or other improper financial practices. Disclose to all concerned parties those conflicts of interest that cannot reasonably be avoided or escaped. 12

S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE (C ONTD.) 5 MANAGEMENT Software engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance Ensure good management for any project on which they work Ensure that software engineers are informed of standards before being held to them. Ensure realistic quantitative estimates of cost, scheduling, personnel, quality and outcomes on any project Provide for due process in hearing charges of violation of an employer's policy or of this Code. Not ask a software engineer to do anything inconsistent with this Code Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project. 13

14 S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE (C ONTD.) 6 PROFESSION Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically Promote public knowledge of software engineering Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code. Not promote their own interest at the expense of the profession, client or employer. Take responsibility for detecting, correcting, and reporting errors in software Report significant violations of this Code to appropriate authorities

15 S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE (C ONTD.) 7 COLLEAGUES Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their colleagues Encourage colleagues to adhere to this Code Assist colleagues in professional development Credit fully the work of others and refrain from taking undue credit Assist colleagues in being fully aware of current standard work practices Not unfairly intervene in the career of any colleague

16 S OFTWARE E NGINEERING C ODE OF E THICS AND P ROFESSIONAL P RACTICE (C ONTD.) 8 SELF Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding the practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to the practice of the profession Further their knowledge of recent developments Improve their ability to create safe, reliable, and useful quality software Improve their ability to produce accurate, informative, and well-written documentation Improve their knowledge of relevant standards Not influence others to undertake any action that involves a breach of this Code

17 W HERE TO FIND THIS CODE ?